Bored of staying in bed and feeling miserable, I decide to summon a great deal of pills and potions to mask the symptoms of food poisoning (which incidentally last 7 days) and continue with the original plan of renting a car for a few days. Of course, this is not a sensible plan but my determination to explore the area overrides sensibility.
While I have been resting and retching, Adam has been spreading the word that we are seeking fellow adventurers to fill seats and split costs. After some hours of preparation (admittedly not by me), we have the car, the team and buckets of enthusiasm - we are ready to go!
The Vehicle
A silver Chevy Corsa with good suspension named 'The Pacifier' for reasons yet to be decided
The Road-Trippin' Team
1. From Wellington, New Zealand, we have Nelson aka 'Nelly', principle driver, walking thesaurus & best known for his ability to blast out 'classic rock' anthems at deafening volume.
2. Originally from Milwaukee, US, we have Allison aka 'Slowpotomous' or 'Snopek', who has never driven 'stick' before and likes attending figure-drawing classes.
3. Hailing from Cape Town, South Africa (or Germany depending on who is asking!) is my dear friend, Adam Franke-Matthecka - capoeira-king, marine-life expert and who still remains nickname-less (much to my dismay and best efforts over the past 2+ years!)...
and, finally my good self, originating from the lovely coastal town of Sligo, north-west Ireland, more permanently known as 'Riverdance' and for the duration of this road trip, known as 'Sickie'....
Nelly, Snopek, Sickie & Adam (from L-R)
We leave Salta, not quite at the crack of dawn as planned (midday) and hit the road to Cafayate. The landscape changes dramatically along this 165 km route - from lush green fields to arid red-rock cliffs and acres of cacti! We literally gasp as we wind around each bend.
10 second timer....
Acting oddly around The Pacifier
The ladies
A real-live Cactus!
Snopek wanders, looking for artistic inspiration
Spot The Pacifier?
We take a quick gander around town (touristy but picturesque), and then follow the advice of a guidebook and head to the charming Hostel Valle.
The others have a decent lunch, and I munch on a piece of dry bread - pobrecita! With my daily quota of energy used I retire to my DOUBLE bed (luxury!!) and the others visit the attractions of the local carnival
The vineyards around Cafayate are beautiful, vastly more attractive than Mendoza - with a backdrop of the Calchaquí valley and snow-capped Andean mountains. The high altitude, rich soil, and humid climate provide great conditions for the vineyards that surround the town. Apparently, the wineries in this region have won international awards for their Cabernet,
Chardonnay, Malbec, and Torrontés wines. Torrontés, (I have been told) has a bold, fruity taste, and it is perhaps the best-known wine from Cafayate. Of course, Sickie here gets to try nada :-(
After a good sleep and breakfast, we are ready to continue on our journey to Cachi.
Breakfast in the sunny lounge with views of the Andes
Once again the drive is dramatic and fascinating. We stop to wander around ever so often, almost feeling deafened by the silence - a place void of water and sound. Allison gets her first lesson in driving manual cars!
Nelly talks Snopek through the ABC's of manual driving
Fresh chili-peppers laid out in the midday sun
Fellow Capricorns graze the steep slopes!
Continuing along the famous Route 44 (which runs from Bolivian border to El Calafate, Patagonia)
Formations knarl around the dusty road
Climbing sheer rock!
Close-up of the little'ins
Crossing cowboy country
We stop in the town of Cachi (pretty but not terribly exciting) and I push the boat out, trying a few scoops of mash potato! On the way back to Salta we sing every song (and rap!) we can remember and play the 'name-game' until we are back in the lush green outskirts of Salta.
This roadtrip has certainly been one of the highlights of Argentina for me. The people, the scenery, the car-games, the sing-songs and the repeat playing of our only CD of 'viejos lentos' (Argentine 'slow oldies'!) assist in making this roadtrip absolutely fantastic and highly memorable. Yes I felt weak and wobbly for the entire trip - but me and my brave-face wouldn't have missed it for the world!
Singing all those old songs has triggered all kinds of weird and wonderful memories of people and places, and that night my dreams are vivid and nostalgic.
Sounded like a fun trip and glad you didn't have to miss out on it. Photos great.
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